The present invention relates generally to crop harvesting machines and, more particularly, to a wear strip for a reciprocating cutterbar.
Generally, crop harvesting machines include a crop harvesting header mounted at the forward end thereof to initiate the crop harvesting process. Headers have been developed for utilization in different crops and/or crop conditions. Combines, for example, utilize different crop harvesting headers for soybeans, corn and small grain. Normally, the header operates to cut standing crop material, consolidate it and then convey it rearwardly to the harvesting machine for further harvesting treatment.
Some crop harvesting headers have utilized specially formed knife guards to minimize the distance between the support ridge and the knife guards and the forward edge of the cutterbar support bar. If this gap were not minimized, severed crop material, particularly small grains, could pass therethrough and, therefore, be lost from the crop harvesting machine. Another source of crop loss is due to the passage of severed crop material in a forward direction over the front edge of the cutterbar.
Furthermore, hold down clips for reciprocating cutterbars are normally positioned in a spaced apart relationship along the transverse length of the cutterbar to hold preselected spots of the knife assembly into a position relative to the knife guards. Accordingly, only small amounts of area of the hold down clips countered any upwardly lifting forces applied to the knife assembly. Therefore, these hold down areas had to be specially hardened so as to be capable of withstanding the high forces. Further complicating this problem is the use of "flexible" cutterbars, which are capable of flexing vertically along the transverse length of the cutterbar to conform to changing ground contours, therefore, all of the cutterbar components must be capable of "flexing."